Bottle seal opening device



Jan. 3, 1939. J MMNZER 2,142,695

BOTTLE SEAL OPENING DEVICE Filed Feb. 5, 1938 INVENTOR Jack M (filer ,ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 3, 1939 UNITED STATE norms SEAL oranmo DEVICE" Jack D. Mainler, New York, N. Y.,gassignor, by

mesne assignments, to'Channel Sales Corporation, New York York, N. Y., a corporation of New Application February 5, 1938, Serial No. 188,869

IClaim.

My present invention relates to opening devices for bottle seals, and more particularly for that type of seal which is a cap of foil, or of originally plastic, cellulose or Celluloid material, or of other compositions which is applied over the top and neck of the bottle, and-permitted to solidify orset to conform to the contour of the bottle neck. These seals are used on bottles usually employing a cork having a flanged top, and are diflicult and dangerous to remove with an ordinary knife.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a bottle seal opener of the kind mentioned, of novel and improved construction, which will slit the seal circumferentially along its weakest line, utilizing the bottle as a lever to effect asubstantial and emcient cutting force.

Another' object hereof, is to provide a novel and improved device of the "character described, which is adaptable for use for corks having flanges of different sizes.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved and novel seal opener of the type set forth, whereby the cork is automatically pulled after the seal is broken.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved article of the nature mentioned, which is cheap to manufacture, easy to use and which lends itself to various ornamentations and for use with advertising displays.

Other objects will become manifest as this description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawing, forming part of thisapplication, similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Fig. l is a perspective view showing an embodiment of my present invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the seal slitting component.

Fig. 3 shows one form of an advertising plate, in reduced size, which may be included in the assembly of this device when used for attachment to a structure, as for instance to a bar or wall.

Fig. 4 is a similar view in reduced size, of another component of the device shown in Fig. 1, which serves as a cork gauge and also to provide the fulcrum points for the bottle when acting as a lever to effect a substantial cutting force against the seal slitter knives.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of my device.

Fig. 6 is a front view of Fig. 5, and Fig. 7 is a side view thereof, showing the manner in which the bottle whose seal is to be opened is positioned fect a substantial cutting force at the slitter knives.

Fig. 8 is a view showing the type of cork cornmonly used when such seals are adopted, and in fragmentary section shows the wedged shaped slitting blade, which acts also as a cork pull.

Fig. 9 shows another modified structure em-' bodying the teachings of this invention.

In the drawing, the numeral i5 indicates a bracket provided with holes H in its plate component l6, for mounting same onto a wall or other fixed structure, while the other plate thereof i8 has a pair of forwardly extending coplanar, substantially horizontal blade elements i9 and 20, the inward edges2i and 22 of which are sharpened and are convergent rearwardly. The inverted substantially U shaped member 23, which is a channel positioned above the plane of the blades l9 and 20, so that what serves as a ceiling member 24, is a guide for the cork 25,

as is also one of the depending side elements 26 and 21; the distance between the plane of the bladesand said member 26, being slightly greater than the height of the flange 29 of the cork. It is evident, that a gauge means is thus provided whereby the plane of the cutting edges of the blade elements 19 and 20, is automatically in position, tangent to the circumferential line which makes the plane of contact between the underside of the cork flange 29 and the mouth of the bottle 30. The distance between the sides 26 and 21 should be such so as to fittingly admit the cork flange 29 therebetween, whereby they shall serve as and for the position of fulcrum points, because the bottle when inserted in the device in the manner illustrated, may be deemed a lever, and it is evident that sidewise forces applied by one holding the body of the bottle 30, would be substantially increased at the plane of the cutting edges 2| and 22, due to the substantial difference in leverages. To cut the seal, utilizing such created forces for such purpose, the bottle is given, a slight rotary motion, using the top of the bottle as the fulcrum, as well as a forward motion in'the direction of convergence of the, cutting edges 2! and 22.

A slot 3|, is provided in the bracket plate I6, I a similar slot indicated by the numeral 32, is provided in the plate 33 showing advertising matter, while a lug 34 extends outwardly from the channel member 23. The manner of assembly of the several components of the device illustrated in Fig. 1, is evident, for the lug will enter the slots,

when channel member 28, will be slid onto the edges of the plate I8, for which channels 35 are provided. Different members 23, may be interchangeably used, to take care of bottles having corks of different dimensions.

To avoid such necessity, I have provided that the channel member 23 of the article shown in Fig. 5, may be adjustably horizontally positioned parallel to the plane of the cutting edges, by any suitable means, one of which is illustrated to comprise the fixed screw 36 and the pin 31', to

act as a track in the channels bracket slot 31; nut 38 serving as the fastening means. In this device shown in Fig. 5, the blade components l9 and 20 increase in thickness rearwardly, to serve as wedges to pull the cork 25 out of the bottle after the seal 39 is broken, for the blades may enter a substantial distance beneath the cork flange 29, whereby the cork is lifted or pulled out of the bottle because of the wedge action of the blades when the bottle is pushed further rearward between said blades l9 and 20'. So not only does this device slit the seal, but it also can pull the cork in a substantially vertical direction upon the application of a substantially horizontally directed force exerted by the operator.

It is to be noted that the points of contact of the seal 39 with the arms 26' and 21 or with the ceiling member 24' of the channel member 23, constitute the respective fulcrum points aforementioned. These points are designated generally by the numeral 40, while the exaggerated positions of the bottle indicated throughout by the numeral 4|, should be deemed mere slight tilting in the directions indicated, for the dimensions of the channel should be such as to admit the sealed end of the bottle in substantially good sliding fit.

Although not precisely illustrated, it is evident that the plate I6 may be fashioned to serve as a handle for the device, in which instance the'latter would serve as an unmounted tool for the purposes described.

As another embodiment of my invention, I present the construction illustrated in Fig. 9, which comprises a pair of hingedly associated members 42 and 43, effecting in assembly the combination of a channel structure, the ceiling of which is parallel and above the plane of the cutting edges 44 and 45, as is common to the other embodiments, but permitting the admission of corks having flanges of various diameters. Spring 46 acts to close the members 42 and 43, but to maintain them in an initial open position, I provide the prong 41 extending upwardly from one of said members, namely 42, to avoid further inwards movement of the other member with which it is associated in pivotal relation about the pin 48, which also serves to hold them in assembled state.

This invention is capable of numerous forms and various applications without departing from the essential features herein disclosed. It is therefore intended and desired that the embodiments shown herein be deemed illustrative and not restrictive and that the patent shall cover whatever features of patentable novelty exist in the invention disclosed; reference being had to the following claim rather than to the specific description herein to indicate the scope of this invention.

I claim:-

In a device for breaking a seal which maintains a cork member partially within the mouth of a bottle, a frame, a channel member on the frame adapted to straddle the top end of the sealed bottle between its walls, a pair of blade members on the frame, having converging opposite cutting edges in the plane of the mouth of the bottle, positioned one edge at either side of the bottle and in contact with the seal, whereby upon sidewise movement of the lower end of the bottle by a slight force applied to the body of the bottle in any direction towards the plane of the cutting edges, the seal is slit; the walls of the channel member being adapted to restrain any such movement of the bottle; said blade members as a unit and-the channel member being in moveable relation, and means to adjustably fix the distance between the blades and the channel member.

JACK D. MAINZER. 

